Apilonian Army

Apilonian Army
Active	1645 - Present
Country	Kingdom of Apilonia
Type	Army
Role	Land Warfare
Part of	HM Forces
Garrison/HQ	Fort Ward, Duchy of Washington
Commanders
Chief of the General Staff	Sir Michael L. Dempsey
Deputy Chief of the General Staff	General Sir Alexander V. Shepherd
Commander, Land Forces	General Sir William T. Bolton
Adjutant-General to the Forces	General Sir Thomas S. Webber

The Apilonian Army...

Personnel

Rank Structure

Field Marshal:
General:
Lieutenant General:
Major General:

Brigadier: The highest of the field-grade officer ranks, and a general officer rank in other armies, the rank of Brigadier is typically held by an experienced commander who most commonly commands a brigade, or on a general staff. Promotion to Major-General is possible after four-years in grade.
Colonel: The third of the field-grade officer ranks in the Apilonian Army, the rank of Colonel is typically held by an experienced commander and most commonly commands a regiment, or serve on a division or general staff. Promotion to Brigadier is possible after four years in grade.
Lieutenant Colonel: The second of the field-grade officer ranks in the Apilonian Army, the rank of Lt. Colonel is typically held by experienced officers who most commonly command a battalion-sized unit, or serve on a division or general staff. Promotion to Colonel is possible after four years in grade.
Major: The first of the field-grade officer ranks in the Apilonian Army, the rank of Major is typically held by experienced officers who most commonly command a company-sized unit (in contrast to most other army’s who use Captains), bearing the title of ‘Officer Commanding’, whether in a combat or support unit. After a company command, a Major will typically serve on a division staff culminating in a stint as a Brigade Major, the senior staff officer in a brigade, or as a battalion executive officer. Promotion to Lieutenant Colonel is possible after six years in grade.
Captain: The highest of the junior officer ranks in the Apilonian Army, the rank of Captain is held by officers who have completed their first complement postings within their regiment or corps, and have usually gained a degree of practical leadership experience. As a Captain, an officer’s focus turns more to administration and staff work, and will typically serve as either the second-in-command of a company-sized unit or on a regimental (or brigade) staff, with most Captains serving in both these roles (typically a staff role, followed by a Company 2iC role to prepare them for company command, rolled by another staff role to round out their professional education. Promotion to Major, which is competitive for the first-time, is possible after six years in grade.
Lieutenant: The second most junior officer rank in the Apilonian Army, Lieutenant is held by officers who have completed their AST course(s) and has joined the compliment strength of their regiment or corps. In general, a Lieutenant will command a platoon-sized (27 soldiers) unit, whether in a combat unit or in a support corps, or less commonly as a junior staff officer. Promotion is typical after two-years in grade.
Second Lieutenant: The most junior officer rank in the Apilonian Army, Second Lieutenant (occasionally known by other titles in specific regiments) is granted to officers who have just completed their Initial Officer Training (IOT) at Royal Military Academy, Kingston. The rank is typically held by junior officers whilst they are undertaking their Advances Specialisation Training (AST), which can last anywhere from six months to two years.

Warrant Officer, Class One:
Warrant Officer, Class Two:

Colour Sergeant:
Sergeant:
Corporal:
Lance Corporal:
Private:

Training

All recruits into the Royal Army undergo a similarly structured programme of training, with the length and nature of specific training depending upon rank and intended Regiment or Corps. Phase 1 Training is the initial stage, designed to bring all recruits to a base level of military competency, capable of operating in the field, providing force protection and operational security, whilst officers this includes professional competencies required for command. For the ranks, this is the Common Recruit Syllabus, which covers basic skills and fitness needed to survive and operate in a field environment, and to imbue the ethos and principles of the Royal Army, and typically lasts for fourteen weeks.. For officers, this consists of the Commissioning Course, at the Royal Military Academy, Kingston, in the Duchy of Ontario, which lasts forty-four weeks (professional qualified officers, such as Doctors, undergo a shorter, ten-week course, whilst Late Entry Officers (former rankers) undergo a four-week course as they already have extensive experience as serving soldiers.

Phase 2 Training covers all specialist training required to bring the recruit up to the trained strength, and is delivered at over a dozen Army Training Centres spread across the Kingdom, both for officers and other ranks. After Phase 1 and 2 training is complete, a soldier or officer will continue to receive additional specialist and generalised training throughout his career.

Regular Army

The Regular Army is the active duty component of the Apilonian Army, and i

Army Reserve

The Army Reserve is the primary volunteer reserve force of, and integrated element of, the Apilonian Army, first formed by the Volunteer Reserve Act of 1904. The original purpose of the Army Reserve, then known as the Territorial Force, was home defence to provide a reserve force capable of supplementing the militia that was under the command of Crown and the Parliament. Overtime, the Army Reserve has evolved to facilitate the provision of routine support for the regular army overseas, which includes providing both individual soldiers and officers for deployment as well as entire reserve formations; indeed the Army Reserve makes up the bulk of the Army’s light infantry. During periods of declared war, the Army Reserve is incorporated into Regular Service under the terms of the Defence of the Realm Act, in which normal service liability is extended for the duration of hostilities or until deactivated. During peacetime, and in limited conflicts, the Army Reserve is used principally to supplement regular forces on an as-needed basis rather than by the full activation of reserve formations (which largely exist to facilitate rapid mobilisation if required).

Typically, Army Reservists normally have a full-time civilian job or career, which in some cases provides skills and expertise that are directly transferable to a specialist military role (such as reservist Royal Army Medical Corps units). As a result, all Army Reservists have their civilian jobs protected to a limited extent should they be compulsorily mobilised, however there is no legal protection when voluntarily deployed overseas, however many employers are largely supportive of their reservist employees. Some Army Reservists serve under Full-Time Reserve Service (FTRS) contracts, particularly in headquarters and cadre units. All Army Reservists are paid for their time on duty, including weekly drill nights, and all training and other courses undertaken.

As of 2020, the Army Reserve consists of over three hundred thousand reservists.

Home Guard

The Home Guard is the national militia of the Kingdom of Apilonia, formed as a result of the Militia Reform and Home Guard Act of 1920 in which the existing militia, under the operational control of the individual Dukes and of varying quality, was homogenised as a new national organisation. The Home Guard consists solely of volunteers and has no call-up liability for operational deployment overseas, being solely concerned with serving as a secondary defence force in the event of an invasion; typically responsible for trying to slow the advance of an enemy, even by a few hours, to give regular troops time to regroup, as well as to defend key infrastructure, as well as to maintain control over the civilian population and to ensure military control over rear areas to allow the Regular Army and Army Reserve to focus on taking the fight to the invaders. The Home Guard also has a role during peacetime in providing organised manpower in the event of natural disaster or unrest.

Although the Home Guard is a national institution, answerable the Commander, Land Forces and with the Chief of the Home Guard sitting on the Army Board, it is largely organised into regional commands along Duchy lines (typically being referred to by the media, somewhat inaccurately, as the California Home Guard, Texas Home Guard, etc). Although each regional command ultimately answers to the Commander, Land Forces, the Militia Forces and Home Guard Act has a number of provisions that allow a Duke to issue limited binding orders to his Duchy’s Home Guard regional command, whilst any deployment by regular forces is managed by the Military Aid to Civilian Authorities Act. Each regional command is largely made up of a varying number of detachments of varying sizes spread across the Duchy, which may be organised into companies or battalions as required. Unlike the Duke however, County Earls do not have direct recourse to the use of Home Guard forces, although this may be forthcoming on a voluntary basis at the discretion of the detachment commander, typically in cases of natural disaster or similar, or by request to the Duke, for actions related to unrest or similar. Each Home Guard district is split into three brigades, however these do not match the size of regular brigades and are more administrative in nature and, depending on the Duchy, will consist of a varying number of detachments.

The Home Guard, as an institution, through it’s Headquarters maintains a standardised level of equipment, training, and discipline regardless of the location, to ensure that the capabilities of the Home Guard are consistent and understood by Army commanders in the event of a conflict. In general, a Home Guard unit will parade once a week with one full training weekend a month and a two week battle camp each summer, although individual Home Guard members may apply for, and attend, additional training courses, adventurous training, and other duty on a purely volunteer basis, depending on the time available to the individual. Although the Home Guard is popular amongst those who are too young, too old, in a reserved occupation, or medically unfit for regular service (as the medical standards of the Home Guard are somewhat less than those of the Regular Army or Army Reserve, particularly in borderline or cases that are only a concern due to long-term overseas deployment) the Home Guard is also popular amongst those individuals who desire a quasi-military lifestyle whose circumstances are best suited by a lack of call-up liability. The Home Guard is a purely volunteer organisation, and its members are not routinely paid (unlike the Army Reserve, who are paid even for drill nights), although they may be reimbursed for some expenses and will be paid if mobilised in specific operational capacities.

As such, the Home Guard is generally a well-motivated organisation, one that benefits from a great deal of dedicated men and women, many of whom serve above and beyond the minimum requirements. It is not for naught that although many regulars, and even Army Reservists, will speak of the Home Guard with disdain, those that have operated alongside them will typically speak highly of their dedication and enthusiasm. Although the Home Guard’s small arms are typically identical to those operated by the rest of the Army, where vehicles and other equipment are used this will typically be a generation or more out of date. The Home Guard wears the same combat uniforms as the Regular Army and Army Reserve, however it’s service and dress uniforms favour a blue pattern, in keeping with its historic uniform colouring, giving rise to the principal nickname for the Home Guard (originally the militia in general); the Blue Jackets.

• 1st Home Guard District (Washington and Oregon)
  
  • 10th Home Guard Brigade
    
  • 11th Home Guard Brigade
    
  • 12th Home Guard Brigade
    
• 2nd Home Guard District (New Caledonia)
  
  • 21st Home Guard Brigade
    
  • 22nd Home Guard Brigade
    
  • 23rd Home Guard Brigade
    
• 3rd Home Guard District (Alaska)
  
  • 31st Home Guard Brigade
    
  • 32nd Home Guard Brigade
    
  • 33rd Home Guard Brigade
    
• 4th Home Guard District (California)
  
  • 41st Home Guard Brigade
    
  • 42nd Home Guard Brigade
    
  • 43rd Home Guard Brigade
    
• 5th Home Guard District (Mojave and Colorado)
  
  • 51st Home Guard Brigade
    
  • 52nd Home Guard Brigade
    
  • 53rd Home Guard Brigade
    
• 6th Home Guard District (Texas)
  
  • 61st Home Guard Brigade
    
  • 62nd Home Guard Brigade
    
  • 63rd Home Guard Brigade
    
• 7th Home Guard District (New France and New Hanover)
  
  • 71st Home Guard Brigade
    
  • 72nd Home Guard Brigade
    
  • 73rd Home Guard Brigade
    
• 8th Home Guard District (Dakotas and Minnesota)
  
  • 81st Home Guard Brigade
    
  • 82nd Home Guard Brigade
    
  • 83rd Home Guard Brigade
    
• 9th Home Guard District (Ontario and Manitoba)
  
  • 91st Home Guard Brigade
    
  • 92nd Home Guard Brigade
    
  • 93rd Home Guard Brigade